Is it a glitch in the growth process? Could their mother possibly have been on durgs or drank that slowed down the growth process? Or is it just a random thing that happens to about 1 in a million people? Please explain thoroughly.
2006-11-29 09:31:05 · 5 answers · asked by Imagine, Its Contagious! 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
I'm so sorry! I spelled drugs "durgs"
2006-11-29 09:46:47 · update #1
There are 3,000,000,000 base pairs in the human genome, in EVERY SINGLE CELL. There are 10^14 cells in the human body, and many of them divide. Many of them divide MANY times. So for every cell that divides, 3,000,000,000 base pairs of DNA need to be replicated. Replication is not a computer, it is molecules, and mistakes are made all the time. We have mechanisms that repair mistakes, but sometimes mistakes fall through the cracks.
Now, of the 3,000,000,000 base pairs, only 3% of that falls into coding regions (of 25,000-30,000 genes). A huge majority of DNA serves little function, and this might be explained by simple probabilities by evolution. If such a small portion of DNA is in coding regions, then there is only a 3/100 chance that a mutation will occur within a coding region. Of course there are other regions of DNA that are important, but still, mutations in a huge portion of DNA will show no effect.
2006-11-29 09:50:52 · answer #1 · answered by Brian B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In general a mutation occurs when a gene is changed. They can be beneficial or harmful. They can occur via errors in natural processes like you suggested, such as during cell division if DNA is improperly copied. Mutations can also be caused from the outside such as with radiation, or UV light, these are called mutagens.
Mutations happen to every living thing on a frequent basis, it's just not harmful enough to cause a death or beneficial enough to cause you to be the latest member of the X-men.
2006-11-29 09:36:47 · answer #2 · answered by Thomas K 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a mutation can occur in development or just when cells replicate.
For example Cystic fibrosis, is a genetic mutation or defect
a carcinogen such as UV can alter the shape of DNA and this mutation can cause cancer.
It is a very randomm and unpredictable process, interesting question though
2006-11-29 10:12:27 · answer #3 · answered by ballet-babe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That can happen from inbreeding but doing drugs can harm the baby during the makin of it or something could happen which makes it just not develope right
2006-11-29 10:02:05 · answer #4 · answered by Angelique B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you do drugs while pregnant you risk having a child with birth defects.
Coach
2006-11-29 09:38:21 · answer #5 · answered by Thanks for the Yahoo Jacket 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋